Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions about Lens.

Last Updated: 2026-02-14

Getting Started

How do I take my first photo?

Step 1: Aim & Frame

Position your device. The overlay updates live as you move.

Step 2: Tap to Focus (Optional)

Tap anywhere on the preview to set focus point. Slide up/down to adjust exposure.

Step 3: Add a Quick Note (Optional)

Tap the Note area on the overlay to add a site observation. You can type custom text or select from your Quick Note Templates for speed.

Step 4: Capture

Tap the shutter button. The photo saves immediately to your gallery with all metadata embedded.

What permissions does Lens need?

Permission	Purpose	Required
Camera	Capture photos and video	Yes
Location	Embed GPS coordinates and address	Yes
Photos	Save captures to your photo library	Yes

Microphone is only requested when recording video.

Can I use Lens without location access?

Yes, but captures will not include GPS coordinates or address data. The overlay will show "Location Unavailable."

Photos & Video

What format are photos saved in?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Format) at 0.85 quality. Falls back to JPEG on older devices. Metadata is preserved in both formats.

Why is my photo file size large?

Large file sizes typically occur when:

High-resolution capture is enabled
JPEG fallback triggered (less compression than HEIC)

Check Settings → verify HEIC is supported on your device.

What video quality is supported?

Lens supports 1080p (HD) and 4K (Ultra HD) recording at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps. Availability depends on your specific device hardware. Check the top controls bar in Video mode to independently toggle resolution and frame rate.

Can I remove the overlay after capture?

No. The overlay is permanently embedded at the moment of capture. This is by design — it creates tamper-evident proof of work.

Overlay & Display

How do I hide the mini-map?

Settings (gear icon) → Map → toggle Show Map off.

Can I change the overlay font?

Yes. Settings → Typography → Font Pairing. Several professional typeface combinations are available.

How do I add my company logo?

Settings → Branding → Add Logo. Supported formats: PNG, JPEG. Transparent backgrounds work best.

The overlay is blocking my subject. Can I move it?

The overlay position is fixed to ensure consistent documentation. Frame your subject with the overlay in mind.

Can I customize what information is shown?

Yes. Settings → Fields. You can toggle individual data points like GPS coordinates, address, compass, and weather on or off to suit your preferences.

Projects & Quick Notes

What are Project Profiles?

Project Profiles allow you to switch between different job contexts. Each profile saves its own Project Name, Project Client, and File Name Prefix. This ensures your documentation is organized and your files are accurately named for each specific site.

How do I create a new profile?

Settings → Project Profiles → tap + (plus icon) → enter your project details.

What are Quick Note Templates?

Templates are pre-set text blocks you can quickly add to your photos. Instead of typing the same site status repeatedly, you can select it from a list or use an Alias.

How do Alias shortcuts work?

Every template can have a short alias (2-4 letters). In the camera view, tap the "Note" area, type your alias (e.g., sl), and double-tap the spacebar. Lens will automatically expand it to the full template text (e.g., 000 | PN 00 | SURVEY & LAYOUT).

Is there a character limit for notes?

Yes. Quick Notes are limited to 100 characters to ensure they fit perfectly within the overlay without obscuring your image.

Quick Note Templates

Quick Note Templates allow you to pre-fill frequent site observations and status updates.

Using Templates

Tap the Note area on the camera screen.
Tap the Templates (document) icon.
Select a template to apply it immediately.

Alias Expansion (Power User Shortcut)

Each template can have a 2-4 letter Alias.

In the note input field, type the alias (e.g., dr).
Double-tap the spacebar.
The alias expands to the full text (e.g., 000 | PN 00 | DRILLING).

Managing Templates

Add: Tap + in the Templates sheet.
Edit: Swipe right on a template to edit the text or alias.
Reorder: Tap the reorder icon to change the sequence.
Delete: Swipe left on a template to remove it.

Character Limits

The overlay supports notes up to 100 characters. This limit ensures the data remains legible and doesn't obscure the center of your documentation.

Project Information

Project Name

Displays on every capture for organization. Pre-filled from the active Project Profile.

Settings → Project → Project Name
Enter your project identifier

Reports & Export

What is an AI Report?

A professional PDF document generated from your captures. It includes:

All captured photos with metadata
AI-structured narrative
Custom notes you add
Project and client information

How do I create a report?

Gallery → select photos (long-press for multi-select)
Tap Create Report
Add notes, adjust title
Tap Generate

Can I edit a report after generating?

The report is generated as a PDF. To make changes:

Modify your notes or photo selection
Regenerate the report

What report title colors are available?

Settings → Project → Default Report Title Color: Black, Red, or Blue.

Privacy & Data

Does Lens upload my photos anywhere?

No. Your photos and videos remain in your local storage by default and are not continuously synced to our servers.

Exception (Content Credentials): When enabled, Lens saves signed "Master Copies" to your iCloud Drive by default to ensure they are not lost if you delete the app. You can change this to a local folder in Settings.

Exception (Transient AI Processing): If you use the AI Report Generation feature, selected photos are briefly processed by our AI provider to create descriptions. No data is stored or used for training.

✓ Zero data retention — photos are discarded immediately after processing.
✓ No training — your content is never used to improve public AI models.
✓ Secure transport — data is encrypted in transit.

See Google's Generative AI Privacy Notice for details on how transient data is handled.

Exception (Opt-In Offline Maps): If you enable Offline Maps, your approximate location is shared with Mapbox to download map tiles. This is disabled by default.

Does Lens track my usage?

Partially. We collect anonymous, aggregate data (like "App Launch Time" or "Percentage of users using Dark Mode") to help us maintain the app. We DO NOT track your personal content, photos, or specific location history. Your life remains private; we only track the software's health.

Toggle Off: You can disable all usage tracking in Settings → About → Diagnostics → toggle Share Usage Analytics off.

Does Lens collect my feedback?

Optional. Lens collects feedback in two ways:

1. Content Credentials Feedback

When you provide feedback about Content Credentials features (thumbs up/down with optional comments), this feedback is:

Always stored locally on your device
Synced to cloud only if you have "Share Usage Analytics" enabled in Settings → About → Diagnostics
Used to improve Content Credentials features and user experience

What's collected:

Whether feedback is positive or negative
Optional text comments you provide
Timestamp of submission
App version (to understand context)
Anonymized device identifier (hashed, not personally identifiable)

2. General Feedback & Bug Reports

When you submit general feedback or report bugs via Settings → Support:

General Feedback: Stored locally and optionally synced to cloud (if analytics enabled)
Bug Reports: Sent via email with optional attachments (screenshots, logs, images)
Image Attachments: You can attach up to 3 images (10MB each, 25MB total) to help us understand your feedback

What's collected:

Your feedback text or bug description
Optional image attachments (for general feedback: uploaded to Firebase Storage; for bug reports: attached to email)
Timestamp of submission
App version and device information
Anonymized device identifier (hashed, not personally identifiable)

Privacy Control: You can prevent cloud sync by disabling "Share Usage Analytics". Feedback will still be stored locally but won't be transmitted. Bug reports sent via email are always sent regardless of analytics settings.

Data Retention: Feedback data in Firebase Firestore (including image attachment URLs) is retained for product improvement analysis. Historical data can be deleted by contacting support if needed.

How do I delete my data?

Delete photos directly from the Gallery, or delete the app. Note that if you have enabled Content Credentials and chose to save them in iCloud Drive or a Custom Location, those signed "Master Copies" must be deleted manually from the Files app.

Feedback Data: Feedback stored locally is deleted when you delete the app. To prevent future feedback from being synced to the cloud, disable "Share Usage Analytics" in Settings. Historical feedback data in Firebase Firestore (including image attachment URLs) can be deleted by contacting support if needed. Image attachments stored in Firebase Storage are retained until manually deleted.

Is crash reporting enabled?

Crash reporting helps improve app stability. You can disable it: Settings → About → Diagnostics → toggle Share Crash Reports off.

Troubleshooting

The location shows "Unavailable"

Cause: Location services are disabled or denied.

Fix:

Open iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services
Find Lens → set to While Using the App
Re-open Lens

Photos are not saving

Cause: Photo library access not granted.

Fix:

Open iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos
Find Lens → set to Full Access or Add Photos Only

The camera preview is black

Cause: Camera access denied, or another app is using the camera.

Fix:

Close other camera apps
Open iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera
Enable Lens
Restart the app

Video recording stops unexpectedly

Cause: Insufficient storage space.

Fix: Free up device storage. Video at 1080p 30fps uses approximately 130 MB per minute.

The overlay looks blurry on export

Cause: Screenshot or screen recording used instead of app export.

Fix: Use the share function within Lens Gallery to export at full resolution.

Still Need Help?

If your issue isn't listed:

Restart the app: Force-quit Lens, wait 5 seconds, reopen
Restart device: Fixes most transient issues
Update iOS: Ensure you're on the latest version
Contact support: Settings → Support → Report Bug (include screenshots if possible)

Include your iOS version and device model for faster resolution.

Features & Limits

What's the maximum video length?

No hard limit. Practical limit depends on your device storage. Monitor available space for long recordings.

Is there a limit on AI report generation?

Report generation uses on-device AI when available. Network-based generation may have usage limits during peak periods.

Does Lens work offline?

Yes. Core capture features work entirely offline:

Photos & Video: Capture and saving work without a signal.
Altitude & Compass: These rely on device sensors (GPS/Barometer/Magnetometer) and do not need internet.
Addresses: The app will try to display a previously visited address (cached). If not available, it will display coordinates.
Weather: Will display the Last Known value (marked as "Cached") if you have no signal.

Optional: You can also enable Offline Maps to download map data for offline use. This feature uses Mapbox (a third-party service) and requires your consent before activation.

How do I use Offline Maps?

First time setup:

Go to Settings > Offline Maps.
Tap Enable Offline Maps.
Review the privacy notice and tap Enable Offline Maps to consent.
- This allows Mapbox to receive your IP address, device info, and approximate location.
- See our Privacy Policy for details.

After enabling:

Search for a city or use "Use Current Location".
Pan and zoom to select your desired area.
Tap Download Selected Area.
Downloaded maps appear automatically when offline.

To disable: Go to Settings > Offline Maps > Disable Offline Maps. This removes all downloaded maps and stops data sharing with Mapbox.

How much storage do offline maps use?

It depends on the size of the area. A typical city download is between 10-50 MB. You can clear storage at any time in Settings > Offline Maps > Clear All Maps.

Content Credentials

What are Content Credentials?

Content Credentials is provenance data built on the open C2PA v2.2 standard. When enabled, Lens cryptographically signs your photos and videos using your iPhone's Secure Enclave hardware, creating tamper-evident proof of:

When the capture was taken (trusted timestamp)
Where it was taken (GPS coordinates, when enabled in Settings)
What device captured it (hardware-bound identity)
That it hasn't been altered (cryptographic hash)
Version tracking (app version for security vulnerability management)

Lens implements C2PA v2.2 in compliance with the Technical Specification, UX Recommendations, and Security Considerations. See our C2PA v2.2 Compliance page for detailed information.

What does "Signed by Lens App Signer" mean?

This is a digital signature embedded in your photo that helps verify its origin. The signature indicates the photo was signed by Lens and helps viewers evaluate whether it has been edited by external software.

Where can I find the signed photos?

By default, Lens saves your signed "Master Copies" to iCloud Drive (iCloud Drive > Lens > Artifacts) to ensure they are backed up and persist even if you delete the app.

If iCloud is disabled, they are saved locally to Files > On My iPhone > Lens > Content Credentials. You can also choose a Custom Location (like a separate folder or external SSD) in Settings.

If I delete the app, do my signed photos get deleted?

It depends on your storage choice:

iCloud Drive (Cloud Saved): ✓ Safe. Your photos persist in your iCloud storage regardless of the app's status.
Custom Location: ✓ Safe. If you picked a folder outside the "Lens" app directory, the files are considered user data and remain on your device.
On My iPhone (Device Only): ! Will be deleted. If your photos are stored in the default On My iPhone > Lens folder, iOS will remove them when the app is uninstalled.

Lens will show a guided warning in Settings if you are using device-only storage to help you move them to a safer location.

Why is my photo "Unrecognized" on verification sites?

This is expected behavior during our Preview (Conformance Phase).

Lens currently uses a self-signed certificate with Secure Enclave hardware binding while we undergo formal C2PA Conformance and finalize partnership agreements with Certificate Authorities (CAs) like SSL.com.

What Works	What Shows a Warning
✓ Cryptographic integrity verified	! "Unrecognized Signer"
✓ Signature mathematically valid	! "Unknown Certificate Authority"
✓ File proven unaltered
✓ Implements C2PA v2.2

Why? To show "Trusted Signer," we need a certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA) that appears on the viewer's C2PA Trust List. We are working to provide CA-verified credentials.

Bottom line: Your photos are cryptographically secure and implement the C2PA v2.2 standard. The "Unrecognized" warning only affects the identity certification, not the data integrity.

When will Lens have a trusted certificate?

We are working toward providing CA-verified credentials as part of our C2PA Conformance Phase. The integration code (ES256, Secure Enclave, JUMBF) is complete and ready.

Note: Lens already implements all C2PA v2.2 security controls, including hardware-backed keys, OCSP revocation checking, and version tracking. The only remaining step is the formal CA certificate issuance from the trust list.

What changes:

Before: "Unrecognized Signer" warning
After: ✓ "Trusted Signer" badge

What stays the same:

Your private key remains in the Secure Enclave (never leaves your device)
Cryptographic integrity is identical
All existing signed photos remain valid

Which third-party services provide the timestamps?

To maintain high security and cross-platform trust, Lens uses a specialized Timestamp Authority (TSA) to issue cryptographically signed, RFC 3161-compliant timestamps. Lens uses:

DigiCert (timestamp.digicert.com) — Our only TSA, on the C2PA TSA Trust List. When unreachable we sign without a timestamp.

This service verifies the exact time of capture independently of your phone's clock when available, making your Content Credentials resistant to date-tampering. We use only a C2PA TSA Trust List provider (DigiCert) for compliance with C2PA requirements.

What does the Green Shield mean?

A green shield (checkmark.shield.fill - SF Symbol, web equivalent: ShieldCheckIcon component) indicates Verified Trust:

Your device time matches trusted network servers (Apple, Cloudflare, Google)
Photos are signed with verified Trusted Timestamps
You're ready to capture with full provenance

What does the Orange Antenna with Slash (Offline) mean?

An orange antenna with slash (antenna.radiowaves.left.and.right.slash - SF Symbol, web equivalent: AntennaSlashIcon component) indicates that we cannot reach our trusted time servers (Offline/Firewall). You must explicitly choose to "Enable with Limited Trust" to sign photos. These captures will be marked as "Self-Asserted Time" to ensure transparency.

What does the Red Shield (Security Alert) mean?

A red shield (xmark.shield.fill - SF Symbol, web equivalent: ShieldXIcon component) indicates Time Tampering. A significant discrepancy (>180 second / 3 minute drift) was detected between your device time and the trusted network time. To protect the integrity of your Content Credentials, signing is BLOCKED until you set your device time to "Set Automatically" in iOS Settings. Lens will auto-detect the fix when you return to the app.

Does C2PA work with Video?

Yes. Lens supports hardware-backed signing for video files (.mov/.mp4). Enable it in Settings > Content Credentials. Signed videos are saved to the Photos app and as a master copy in the Files app. Video manifests include device info and optionally location; capture settings (ISO, aperture, exposure) are not included for video (they are only available for photos).

Is my signing key safe?

Yes. Your private signing key is:

Generated inside the Apple Secure Enclave (hardware security module)
Never exported — cannot be copied, backed up, or transferred
Device-bound — if you get a new phone, a new key is generated
Protected by iOS — even a jailbroken device cannot extract it

How do I verify a signed photo?

Use any verification tool that supports Content Credentials (e.g. c2patool, Adobe):

Web: verify.contentauthenticity.org
Desktop: Adobe Photoshop (2023+), Chrome with C2PA extension

Upload your signed photo (from the Files app) and check the provenance panel.

Account & Support

Do I need an account?

No. Lens works entirely without accounts or sign-in. All data stays on your device.

How do I contact support?

Settings → Support → Send Feedback or Report Bug.

Send Feedback: For general suggestions, feature requests, or comments. You can attach up to 3 images to help illustrate your feedback.
Report Bug: For issues, crashes, or problems. You can include screenshots, diagnostic logs, and up to 3 images to help us diagnose the issue.

Include your iOS version and device model if possible. Attaching images or screenshots helps us understand and resolve issues faster.

How do I request a feature?

Use the Send Feedback option in Settings. You can attach images to help illustrate your feature request. We review all requests.